Ecosystem Services of Lagoon Wetlands System in India

Lagoons are shallow ecosystems positioned between the land and the sea. Their transitional position enriches them with unique characteristics, providing abundant natural assets for food production and security, biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, carbon storage, climate regulation, cultural and recreational activities, and livelihoods for the local communities. India is richly endowed with coastal ecosystems owing to its vast coastline covering three sides of the country. India's coastal ecosystems consist of estuaries, mangroves, lagoons, and salt marshes to name a few. India's two largest lagoons, Chilika lake, a designated Ramsar site and Pulicat lake, both lie on the east coast of India having narrow connections with the Bay of Bengal (BoB), which makes them support a unique assemblage of marine, brackish, and freshwater biodiversity. These two lagoons provide a wealth of ecosystem goods and services that are not fully accounted for. Both these lagoons have rich commercial fishery resources and harbor many endangered and rare species of animals and plants besides being the avian paradise. The natural capital that these ecosystems provide can be sustained with their wise use of keeping the right management approach. A detailed study and evaluation of ecosystem services provided by Chilika and Pulicat lakes can help in augmentation of the benefits received by them on a regional and global scale.